Aims Community College has experienced a notable increase in enrollment this fall semester, with numbers indicating a more than 20% rise compared to last year's figures.
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Aims Community College Sees Enrollment Increases This Fall
September 18, 2024
As of September 16, the enrollment headcount was 8,271 students. This is the most significant enrollment jump that Aims has seen post-COVID. By the first day of classes, Aims had dispersed $7.6 million in aid, about $2 million more than the college had dispersed last year.
“We’re excited that so many students are choosing Aims to begin or continue their education,” said Dr. Larry Pakowski, Vice President of Student Engagement, Inclusion & Success. “More and more people are discovering the hidden gem that is Aims.”
Executive Director of Enrollment Management Dana Kohler attributes part of the success to the college's faculty, staff and administrators. “There are a lot of really, really good people at Aims who are trying to support students and help them do the right thing. When we all do that together, the students are the ones that benefit from that.”
Aims remains committed to improving the student experience and fostering student success, emphasizing inclusivity, accessibility, student-focused learning, affordability, state-of-the-art facilities, and small class sizes. Tuition at Aims is considerably less compared to local two-year and four-year institutions, making it a more economical choice for many students. Furthermore, 91% of Aims graduates are able to avoid student debt, partly due to financial aid opportunities like the Aims Tuition Promise and Bright Futures.
“We’re continuing to do things to improve the student experience. There are greater things to come down the road,” Pakowski said.
The 2024-2027 Strategic & Tactical Plan, recently approved by the Aims Board of Trustees, outlines the direction for the college's future growth. Among the planned projects is the opening of the Student Health and Wellness Center in 2026. Efforts are also underway to improve veteran education services and achieve recognition as a Military Friendly School. Several years ago, Aims was designated a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and is intentionally furthering programs to support this population.
“The plan shows all the things that we are doing to improve the student experience and student success. That's why students are choosing to come here,” Pakowski added. “Those things have created much buzz and excitement for us.”
Concurrent Enrollment Increases
Concurrent enrollment programs allow high school students to take college-level courses, earning both high school and college credits simultaneously. These programs keep growing at Aims. Since 2019, concurrent enrollment has increased by approximately 10% each year.
The U.S. Department of Education released new data that provides college-level counts of high school dual enrollment students. In Colorado, 38% of community college students are high schoolers in concurrent enrollment programs. Aims closely echoes that figure at 40%.
“We're serving our community, and part of our community is our high school population," said Executive Director of High School Programs Raymond Chard. “Aims has a meaningful relationship with just about every school in our service area. We have pathways available to almost every student in our region so that they can engage in postsecondary experiences while in high school.”
The support of local school districts has boosted this growth, as well as legislative and funding support. Another accelerator is high school career centers with facilities for technical education (CTE) programs. Aims is working with students to prepare them for the workforce before graduating high school.
Getting Students on Campus
“Our team has done an excellent job of getting into high schools and connecting with community organizations,” Kohler said. “We’re getting out there telling the Aims story to show how we can support students.”
Pakowski believes when people come to campus and see the facilities and technology available, they change their perceptions about community colleges and Aims. He had recently heard a parent at orientation say, “It's not your mom and dad's community college.”
On October 23, the college is hosting Discover Aims. It’s an open house event for prospective students and their families on the Greeley Campus from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. It’s an opportunity to connect with campus resources, learn more about academic programs, and check out our state-of-the-art learning environments and materials. In addition, Aims regularly conducts regular tours for prospective students and their families. Visit events.aims.edu to find the schedule and RSVP for an upcoming tour or Discover Aims.
